PHOENIX (AZFamily) — When a trash fire spread to a Maryvale home Saturday morning and trapped five people inside, Phoenix firefighters credited their training for getting everyone out alive.
All five suffered burns and are expected to survive.
How the fire started
Investigators said a man was burning trash when flames caught an awning just after 11 a.m. at a home on Holly Street, near McDowell Road and 43rd Avenue. The fire then spread to and consumed the home.
When crews arrived, smoke had filled the house. Firefighters were forced to work in a narrow space along the walls, with limited visibility, as the fire climbed above them. Bars on the windows complicated efforts to ventilate the home.
“We had stuff coming in on us,” Phoenix Fire Capt. Rob McDade said. “We had people with bars on the windows trying to get air.”
What happens before the call
Phoenix Fire trains crews at a dedicated facility designed to replicate real home conditions — including a simulated hallway with overhead framing and a room that can be filled with smoke.
“This is their first introduction to it,” McDade said. “So we want to make it as real life as possible.”
“So what we do is we want to create a controlled, chaotic situation to simulate,” he said.
The facility includes rooms that replicate a kitchen and hallways designed to mirror a home’s layout. Crews also train with thermal cameras that allow them to see through smoke in real time.
The tools that make the difference
McDade said one of the key tools used during Saturday’s rescue was a handheld thermal detector. The device picks up body heat, allowing crews to locate trapped occupants when visibility is near zero.
“The movies, a lot of time, they’re talking to each other. They can see you,” McDade said. “90% of fires I’ve been on, I can’t see that person.”
McDade confirmed the thermal detector was used during Saturday’s rescue.
Firefighters also enter a structure carrying approximately 50 pounds of gear — including bunker pants, a coat and a helmet — before going to work.
A warning for homeowners
McDade said conditions inside the home made the rescue more difficult. Occupants did not have an evacuation plan and had stored boxes and other items inside.
“Unfortunately on Saturday — well, fortunately we did rescue them — but unfortunately, they had injuries because they didn’t have a plan in place,” McDade said.
He said the No. 1 home safety recommendation is to identify two ways out of every room.
“Every time you’re in your home, if there’s a fire in the kitchen, I’m going out the back door,” McDade said.
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